US Sassuolo Calcio (3-1-3, 12 points) is looking to close its gap from the league leaders as the team meets one of the Serie A 2015-2016 season's top contenders, SS Lazio (5-2-0, 15 points) at their home stadium of Città del Tricolore on Sunday, October 18.
Sassuolo is coming off a sorry 0-1 loss to lowly club Empoli on October 4 right before the international break at the Stadio Carlo Castellani, as reported by ESPN.
I Azzurri forward Massimo Maccarone struck late at the 88th minute of the match to snatch the one point away from I Neroverdi and left them at the eighth spot of the league table as of the moment.
Even as Polish midfielder Piotr Zieliński was sent off right at full time, Eusebio Di Francesco's boys could not do well from their one-man advantage in injury time, which resulted in the disappointing defeat.
Meanwhile, third-running Lazio blasted bottom-dwelling Frosinone, 2-0, at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome to extend their winning streak to three games, via SkySports.
I Canarini was able to hold off the attacks of the Eaglets in the first half and most of the second half until Keita Baldé Diao and Filip Djordjevic provided the late goals for Stefano Pioli's squad at the 80th and 94th minutes to pull off the win.
I Biancocelesti will look for their fourth straight victory against the hard-fighting Sassuolo XI, but the Mapei Stadium residents will not be that easily defeated.
Prediction: Lazio over Sassuolo, 2-1.
Sassuolo starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Consigli; Vrsaljko, Terranova, Cannavaro, Peluso; Missiroli, Magnanelli, Duncan; Politano, Defrel, Flores
Lazio starting lineup (4-3-3 formation): Marchetti; Basta, Hoedt, Gentiletti, Lulic; Cataldi, Biglia, Mandziuk; Anderson, Djordjevic, Kishna